Artwork
Youth as a Stand-in Monju
Youth as a Stand-in Monju is a print by the Romanticist artist Suzuki Harunobu. It dates from 1767 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
The young man is actually a stand-in for a Buddhist figure named Monju, who usually holds a sword and a sacred text.
This painting shows a young man sitting on a lion.
He's holding a tobacco kit and a long pipe.
The young man is actually a stand-in for a Buddhist figure named Monju, who usually holds a sword and a sacred text.
The interesting thing about this painting is that it replaces traditional Buddhist symbols with everyday items. This swap gives us a glimpse into the artist's sense of humor and creativity.
You can learn more about this style by looking at the work of artist: Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese, 1724–1770).
Overview
Youth as a Stand-in Monju is a print depicting a young man seated on a lion, holding a tobacco kit and long pipe.
Subject & Meaning
The young man substitutes for Monju, a Buddhist bodhisattva typically shown with a sword and sacred text. The substitution of everyday objects for traditional symbols suggests a playful reinterpretation of the original figure's significance.
Technique & Style
The work is characteristic of a style seen in the output of Suzuki Harunobu, known for creative and humorous reimaginings of traditional subjects.
Context
The print was originally paired with another, featuring a young woman as a stand-in for the bodhisattva Fugen.
Artist & collection
Komachi Washes the Book (from the series Seven Elegant Episodes from the Life of the Poetess Ono no Komachi)
Untitled
A Picture by Hishikawa Moronobu: Woman with a Set of Poem Cards
Muraogi, from the series The False Murasaki's Rustic Genji (Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji)
The Courtesan Tsukioka of Hyogoya Rolling a Letter (from the series A Selection of Six Authors in the Green Houses)
Woman Reading a Letter (from the series Seven Episodes in the Life of Komachi in the Floating World)
Kametani Jujiro as the Shirabyoshi Dancer Yuya
女官図|Court Woman at her Desk with Poem Cards
An Attractive Woman Who Looks Like the Actor Iwai Hanshiro V
The Courtesan Aizome of the Ebiya (From the series Eight Views of the Tale of Genji)
The Courtesan Hinaogi of the Daikokuya at the Entrance of Kadomachi
Koto from the series The Six Arts in Fashionable Guise